[Creole38]

Is true that Hepatitis B is not a serious to health-care workers?

[Ryan White]

Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a member of the Hepadnavirus family and one of several unrelated viral species which cause viral hepatitis. It was originally known as "serum hepatitis" and has caused current epidemics in parts of Asia and Africa. Hepatitis B is recognized as endemic in China and various other parts of Asia. The proportion of the world's population currently infected with the virus is 3 to 6% but up to a third have been exposed. Symptoms of the acute illness caused by the virus include liver inflammation, vomiting, jaundice, and rarely, death. Chronic hepatitis B may cause liver cirrhosis which may then lead to liver cancer. Worldwide, the hepatitis B virus is the most important cause of cancer in humans after tobacco smoke.

what do you think?.........


Hepatitis B virus infection may either be acute (self-limited) or chronic (long-standing). Persons with self-limited infection clear the infection spontaneously within weeks to months.

The greater a person's age at the time of infection, the greater the chance their body will clear the infection. More than 95% of people who become infected as adults or older children will stage a full recovery and develop protective immunity to the virus. However, only 5% of new-Born's that acquire the infection from their mother at birth will clear the infection. Of those infected between the age of one to six, 70% will clear the infection. When the infection is not cleared, one becomes a chronic carrier of the virus.

Acute infection with hepatitis B virus is associated with acute viral hepatitis - an illness that begins with general ill-health, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, body aches, mild fever, and then progresses to development of jaundice. The illness lasts for a few weeks and then gradually improves in most of the affected people. A few patients may have more severe liver disease (fulminate hepatic failure), and may die as a result of it. The infection may also be entirely asymptomatic and may go unrecognized.

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus may be either asymptomatic or may be associated with a chronic inflammation of the liver (chronic hepatitis), leading to cirrhosis over a period of several years. This type of infection dramatically increases the incidence of liver cancer.

Hepatitis D infection requires a concomitant infection with hepatitis B. Co-infection with hepatitis D increases the risk of liver cirrhosis and subsequently, liver cancer.


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[resqmedic1971]

NO!!! That's why the hospitals/ Dr offices/ EMS services you work for will offer/require Hep B vaccinations.

[dynamite]

NO!! If you are a health care worker, it is serious if you are exposed or carry the virus, I mean after all, you could be working with someone who does not have a strong immune system

[RiaAnneLove]

No its not true, you are about a thousand percent more likely to catch hepatitis B than AIDS

[Kirsty L]

No it is a very serious problem. The HBV is a real threat to health care workers. All should be vaccinated - it's cheap, painless (except for the Little pin prick) and will provide protection from a potentially life threatening disease. Health care workers are subject to bodily fluids which are the carriers of HBV. If you are working in this field, go get the vaccination. In fact, everyone should get it.